venice art biennale 2026 curatorial team shares details as koyo kouoh's vision moves forward

"Appointed Artistic Director of the Visual Arts Department in December 2024, Kouoh had fully developed the theoretical framework of the exhibition, artist selection, editorial structure, graphic identity, and spatial layout prior to her passing in May 2025. With the support of her family, La Biennale di Venezia committed to realizing the project exactly as she had conceived it."

"In Minor Keys brings together 111 invited participants, including 105 individual artists and collectives and 6 artist-led organizations. The generational span ranges from artists born in 1943 to those born in 1997, foregrounding intergenerational dialogue as a defining dimension of the exhibition."

"The exhibition has since been carried forward by the team she personally selected, including Gabe Beckhurst Feijoo, Marie Helene Pereira, Rasha Salti, Siddhartha Mitter, and Rory Tsapayi, through an intensive process of online collaboration and in-person seminars in Venice and Dakar, where Kouoh had established her base at RAW Material Company."

The 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, titled In Minor Keys, will take place from May 9 to November 22, 2026, across multiple Venice locations including the Giardini, Arsenale, and various venues throughout the city. The exhibition was conceived by Artistic Director Koyo Kouoh, who developed the curatorial framework, artist selection, and spatial design before her passing in May 2025. Her appointed team, including Gabe Beckhurst Feijoo, Marie Helene Pereira, Rasha Salti, Siddhartha Mitter, and Rory Tsapayi, continues executing her vision through collaborative efforts. The exhibition brings together 111 invited participants, including 105 individual artists and collectives plus 6 artist-led organizations, with artists spanning from those born in 1943 to 1997, emphasizing intergenerational dialogue. National Participations and Collateral Events will be announced March 4, 2026, followed by the International Jury announcement in April.

Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine